


Graduation

by lunarsilverwolfstar



Series: August 2016 Prompts [16]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 04:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9162781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarsilverwolfstar/pseuds/lunarsilverwolfstar
Summary: A night of passion, a morning of shock, years of friendship, and a lifetime of dedication.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Day 15.
> 
> Another thank you to perfectlyrose. In which I can never resist AUs, especially of the professor/student variety. This one kind of got away from me.

Rose was excited. Tomorrow began the first day of university classes. After having left school before she could get her A levels, she never thought she’d be here. Well, not _exactly_ here here. Here she was at a bar, nursing her second drink and a plate of chips, celebrating her accomplishment. Her mates were all at a house party, but she knew if she was going to get started on the right foot, she was going to have to make sacrifices. She had been doing so since she began saving up for uni.

It wasn’t all bad. Mickey had taken her to lunch and Shareen had been with her when she got her letter of acceptance. Her mum, Jackie, had actually cried and told her how proud she was. Not to mention, there was a _gorgeous_ bloke sitting on the other side of the bar. It was always nice to have eye candy to look at while out and about. His eyes were blue and his hair was a mass bouncy, light brown curls. A leather jacket rested on his shoulders and Rose couldn’t help but wonder just what it was hiding. 

Just as she drained her drink, a new one arrived. 

“Oh, no ta. That’s it for me.” 

The barkeep nodded to the curly-haired man. “You’ve got an admirer.” 

“Hmm.” Finishing the last of her chips, she pulled out a few pounds, hopped off the stool, and made her way right to the man. “Thanks for the drink,” she began, “but I’m done for the night.”

His eyes, which had widened at her approach, lit at her statement. “I apologise, I didn’t mean to assume,” he spoke, his voice cultured, bringing a shiver down her spine. 

Rose tilted her head, wondering what his play was and if she cared enough to find out. “Not your fault. I just have an early day tomorrow and was enjoying my last hours of freedom.” 

He looked curious, eyes focusing solely on her and she wondered if they always changed with his mood. “I do as well, but there are ways to enjoy the rest of our time?” He left his sentence a question, giving her a choice and she couldn’t help but enjoy his bluntness. 

Debating internally, she asked, “What’s your name?” 

He cringed. “John. John Smith.” 

She couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. “Are you having me on?” 

“No,” he said, emphasising with a shake of his head. “My parents thought it would be funny.” 

Silent for a moment longer, she finally nodded. “Alright then. I’m Rose. You have a place in mind?” 

His lips quirked into a smile. “Are you simply agreeing because you feel sorry for my name, Rose?” 

“Nah. Feeling sorry for ya can’t be helped, but that’s not why I’m agreeing.” Her eyes ran over him, from head to toe, appreciating his physique and, as he stood, she took note that he was only a few inches taller than her. That suited her just fine. She grinned when he extended his arm, fingers wiggling, and when she put her hand in John’s, she lamented that she didn’t have time for distractions. 

\------ 

Even after John saw her to a taxi to make sure she made it home safely and she arrived back at her flat in the middle of the night, Rose still made it to her morning class early enough to find a seat right in front. She saw the student limit online and knew it was going to be an overcrowded class. It had been sheer luck that she’d been able to add the class. Apparently, this Professor Smith was very popular and made political science _fun_. 

A blush marred her cheeks and the chatting voices around her disappeared as she recalled the Smith she’d met just last night. It would take her a while to forget the gorgeous man who had an air of calm and made her feel like she was flying as he made her come with his talented fingers, fingers that trailed heat wherever they touched... 

A voice, rich and welcoming and very familiar interrupted her thoughts. “Welcome to a new term! I’m Professor John Smith and I’ll be helping you through your journey this fall.” 

Her head shot up from where it had been resting in her hand, her eyes wide and she swore her heart stopped for a minute. It couldn’t be, she thought, and yet, there was irrefutable proof right before her. Curls had been combed back from its state of disarray she’d made it the previous night, eyes playful and cunning were now serious, and a grey suit had replaced the leather jacket and jeans. 

It felt like a small eternity passed before she heard her name from those lips. Lips that had called out her name as she sucked on him until he pulled her away, flipping her on her back. “Tyler? Ro-” She looked at his face once more when she heard him stumble on her name, watching as he scanned the room. “Rose Tyler?” His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down and she tried not to think about how she’d nipped at that very spot, being very careful not to leave a mark there. 

“H-here,” Raising her hand shakily, his eyes zoomed in on her and she watched as he lost colour. It felt like an eternity, but it could have only been a few second before he cleared his throat and continued reading out the remainder of the students' names. 

It was a good thing most professors simply introduced themselves and what the class would consist of on the first day or else Rose would have been in big trouble. Her concentration was completely shot. As it was, she would have to review the syllabus later on as her unfocused gaze stayed on her desk without taking in a single word from the paper or what was being reviewed. 

When class was finally let out, she gathered up all her courage and approached him. "Pro-Professor Smith, might I have a word?" 

He didn't look up from gathering up his materials. "I'm sorry Miss Tyler, but I have another class to get to. I have an appointment sheet posted in front of my office and you will be e-mailed a confirmation." Stuffing everything into his bag, he walked out the class without one look. 

Exhaling sharply, Rose told herself to calm down. This was an awkward situation all around and it would be worse if she caused a scene. If he wanted to keep things impersonal, two could play at that game. 

\------ 

She did as Professor Smith had asked and signed up for an appointment the following week. She received her confirmation last night and while she thought it was completely unprofessional to leave her hanging until the last minute, she didn't say anything as she entered his office. 

He was stiff in his seat, but Rose maintained her cool facade, inquiring, "I was wondering if you could look over my paper," and pulled out an eight-page packet out of her folder. She did her best not to smirk when he visibly startled. 

"Pardon?" 

"The midterm paper? I started it a few days ago and I just wanted to make sure it met all the requirements you asked for. I was… distracted the morning you went over it, but I did hear you say we were always welcome to come to you for help." 

They were silent for a few moments, until he sighed, his shoulders slumping. "What do you really want, Miss Tyler?" 

She blinked. "What?" 

"I chose that pub because it was far away from the university. If I'd had any idea you were a student here, much less one of _my_ students, I wouldn't have-" 

"Hang on. Are you saying you think _I_ knew you were gonna be my professor?" She felt her face heat up, but embarrassment was the furthest thing on her mind. 

"Didn't you," he said, more than asked, waving his hand around. "Aren't there sites that tell you about us or you look around to find out which one of us is easier and what-not." 

"Yeah, but if you know about ‘em then you should know that everyone says you're one of the toughest, but also the most helpful. I'm here because I want to learn, not, not _blackmail_ you or something," she spat out, standing up and cursing when other sheets of paper fell out of her folder, including the one for his class. As she was collecting them, she saw shiny black shoes come into her view, a hand on her shoulder. 

"Rose." Having previously been completely devoid of emotions, the gentleness of his voice took her by surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It's just… seeing you in my class, it discombobulated me," he admitted. Crouching down, he gathered the remainder of her papers. "I'd never done something like that, not since my youth and, to be honest, I hadn't been looking. What I told you that night was true, I was just buying a pretty girl a drink."

They straightened up. Any anger she might have held evaporated, the only evidence of it in her flustered face and his sincere gaze. "I swear I didn't know. _I’d_ never have, if I'd known. I told you, I wasn't looking for anything serious. It took me a while to get to where I'm at now and I won't let anything screw it up. I want to stay focused on my work."

"You've already proven that," he tilted his head down to look at the paper in his hands. "How about you have a seat while I look your paper over?"

She nodded silently, picking on her nails, resisting the urge to bite them, and reminding herself to breathe.

\------

Things weren't perfect, not between herself and Professor Smith, not her paper which he said was good, but needed improvement. Her other classes were much the same, but she had chosen a great set of professors for her first term and, before she knew it, the term had ended. She passed all her classes with decent grades and had another full schedule waiting for her. In the meanwhile… 

"Congratulations on completing your first term." John lifted his mug, clinking it with hers before they both sipped their hot chocolate.

"Thank you." She grinned. It had been a bit awkward at the beginning, but it didn't take long for them to settle into an interesting professional friendship. Now that he was no longer her professor, Rose liked to think the two of them were mates. He would help her even outside of his normal office hours, had offered to look at papers from her other classes, and even helped her with the one math course she had to take. She had found out he was a certified genius, which explained the messy office, she'd teased. "So…" What she really wanted to ask was if he'd consider catching a movie or something during the holidays, but she recalled his speech earlier in the semester. As long as she was a student at the uni, he wouldn't even consider it and she respected that. "What are your plans for Christmas?"

After swallowing some carrot cake, he replied, "I'll be across the pond, actually. I have a few friends there that I haven't seen in a few years."

Smirking, she couldn't let this one go, even as her heart beat in anticipation. "Oh? Just friends?"

The blush that bloomed on his cheeks told her everything. "Just friends. Well, I may have had a, a thing with one of them, but that was a long time ago. Turn of the century, in fact."

"Oooh, scandalous." Sometimes it was to easy too tease him.

He gave her a stern look or tried to at least. "What about you?

She shrugged. "Same ol', same ol'. Party at my mum's, maybe hang out with a few of my mates. Mickey's been complaining I'm not spending enough time with them even though I told everyone as soon as I got accepted that I probably wouldn't be able to hang out as much." If she wasn't in school, she was studying, and when she wasn't studying, she was working. She had saved enough to get her through a semester, but that didn't mean she stopped working to get through another.

"I admire your tenacity, Rose, and if they're real friends, they'll still be there when you're done." His warm smile had butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Squashing down the urge to drag him close for a snog, she simply nodded, her grip on the mug tightening. "Yeah. I'm sure they'll understand. I don't want any distractions. Not again." She sipped her beverage, swearing to herself that she wouldn't make the same mistakes she made as a teen again.

\------

"That boy is no good, Rose! You said you didn't need any distractions!" he shouted.

"He isn't! When I need to study, he backs off, and when I have a bit of time, we go out, that's it. It's nothing serious. He's just there when I need to let out some steam."

"Well, I'm sorry I don't have any more ears to lend."

"Not that kind of steam!"

He froze at that.

"Look, I've just been really tense and- god, I don't even know why I'm explaining this to you. I'm an adult and can do what I want."

"I know you're an adult. I just don't want some insignificant boy to ruin your future. I know the type. They mess around with who they want, lead them on, and then hang women out to dry! I've had students drop out of my classes for less."

"Are you saying I can't handle it?" 

"No, I'm not-" John let out a frustrated breath. "Rose, I'm just worried about you. You deserve much better than what Jack can give you." 

"Jack and I are just friends, John. He knows it's not serious, I know it's not serious, and we have fun together. You don't know him, but I thought you knew me at least a little to know I wouldn't just give up on what I've fought so hard for." Her breath hitched.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I just- It wasn't my place. I don't know what I was thinking." 

"It's fine. Just don't do it again, all right? If something's bothering you, talk to me about it. I don't appreciate being screamed at." Before he could say anything else, most likely apologise again, she added, "You're my friend too." 

He pulled her in for a short hug. "I know." She wasn't sure if she imaged it, but Rose could swear that just before he let her go, he held her a little tighter. 

\------ 

Time flew by and before she knew it, she nearing her fourth, and final, year. "So, how are things with you and Grace?" 

John raised a brow, shrugging. "We decided it was best to end things. She tried the six months here, but didn't like it. I can't imagine moving to San Francisco for her and we were fooling no one with our long distance relationship." 

She sure had felt fooled, but didn't say anything. "I'm sorry." 

"It's for the best. Besides, I…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "My life is here and I need to focus on that instead of looking to find the next adventure." 

"Oh, I dunno, maybe you just need to find the right companion." She held her breath. 

He simply shrugged again and said, "Maybe." 

Looking down at her chips, she missed the longing look directed right at her. 

\------ 

The shouting and cheering was deafening, especially with her mother screaming, "You did it, Rose! Oh, I knew you could do it! My baby girl finished uni!" into her ear as she held her in a suffocating embrace. 

It took a few tries to get her attention, but she was finally released, only to be passed onto Keisha, Shareen, Mickey, and even Jack who spun her around, planting a kiss straight on her lips. 

"Jack," she cried, laughing. With all the noise, she wasn't sure how she heard him, but as soon as the clearing throat registered, she turned to find, "John," she breathed. "I thought you didn't go to students' graduations," she said when he was within hearing range. 

"I don't. But I will for a friend." 

Rose grinned and, this time, the focus he had on her was not missed. "John, I-" 

"Rose Tyler, I love you," he blurted out. "Ever since I first saw you across that bar four years ago, I knew there was something special about you. When you came over to reject the drink I sent, I swore I wouldn't fall for you. You didn't want anything serious and I told myself I didn't either. When I found out you were one of my students, I panicked. I didn't know what to do with that information. I didn't do things like that and it took all my self-control to keep away from you, emotionally. I also didn't want to compromise your future, but I couldn't keep away and while I'm glad we're good mates despite our beginning, I want to have a chance at being a part of your future." 

Her eyes teared up, but before he could panic further, she threw her arms around him. "I love you too, you idiot. I've wanted to, since, god, forever, but I respected you too much too." She couldn't help but giggle at all the toos she used. That had been one of her problems in her essays. 

"How about we begin our forever now?" 

"I'd love to." With that, Rose threaded her fingers through his gorgeous curls for the first time in four years, humming in triumph at the low moan that rumbled through his chest. Yep, she still had it and she would spend the rest of her years showing him how much he had her. 


End file.
